19 November, 2017

Dine & Wine at Cincin Restaurant & Wine Bar @ Cheras, KL

Year end is around the corner; Are you ready for celebration yet?

It is fun and exciting to know that the year-end holiday season is on its way and now it is time to plan for Christmas parties, celebrations etc. Many restaurants have rolled out their festive special promo / menu, but cheap and good ones are few and far between.

When I found out that Cincin Restaurant and Wine Bar is having a really good deal for this year end, I am excited to try out the wine pairing dinner here.

Cincin is a two-storey restaurant located opposite Cheras Leisure Mall. This black-and-red giant is easily noticeable from the highway and parking is ample around this neighbourhood. Alternatively, you can get down at MRT Taman Mutiara station and take a cab there as the restaurant is less than 1km away.

In Italian, Cincin literally translates to "Cheers". True to its name, Cincin is therefore a restaurant cum wine bar where guests can toss and celebrate various occasions here including birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas, New Year, or any private parties.

The ground floor is mainly for beer and casual dining, whereas the first floor is for wine dining. The warm ambiance exudes the perfect mood for premium wines and fine Western cuisine while chilling at the lounge, not far from the bar and wine racks.

If you are a wine enthusiast, I am sure you would be on cloud nine, as there is a wide selection of wines from Wine2u for you to choose from. You can purchase them at cheaper prices here, and bring home or bring your wine back to this restaurant during your next visit.

Well, since I don't really know how to choose wine, the friendly staff here is ready to provide detailed explanation on the notes of each wine, and make recommendations based on my taste preference.

Instead of saying "Cheers!", we say "Cincin!" here.

Caesar Salad

Padre Pedro Reserva Branco

Varietal: Viognier and Arinto (2015)

For the first 3 courses of the meal (Salad, Fish and Mushroom), we pair them with the lightly wood-aged white wine. With its soft and round character, it has a nice balance of slightly spiced and fruity acidity. Perfect as a palate teaser before going for something heavier on the palate.

Clear Soup with Truffle Oil

The soup is something warm, aromatic and flavourful to tease the palate, all thanks to the rich flavour of truffle oil.

Definitely a healthier alternative from the usual cream-based soup.

Grilled Portobello Mushroom with Bacon and Cheese

After some light broth, we have something very savoury on the palate -- the juicy grilled portobello, crowned with bits of bacon and sprinkles of cheese. It is so soft, and burst into juicy goodness upon each bite. To be honest, it tastes a tad heavy on its own, so it is best to sip on the white wine and tone down the savoury notes.

Poached Salmon in White Wine Broth

One dish after another, it does not feel overwhelming at all as every dish is something light on the palate, ideal for the health conscious. For instance, the salmon is lightly poached in the wine broth to preserve its natural flavours of oceanic sweetness. In fact, I find that the wine flavour is rather subtle and I can really enjoy the salmon at its freshest state.

Grilled Lamb Rack in Red Wine Rosemary Sauce

Aldeya Tinto

Varietal: Syrah. Tempranillo, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon (2015)

The star of the evening is the grilled lamb rack, which is the only dish we pair with the Spanish red wine, made from Spain's star grape, Tempranillo. This food-friendly wine is a great complement to the grilled or roasted lamb, thanks to its great harmony of flavours with red meat, plus a wonderful, lingering aftertaste.

DESSERT

Hojicha Creme Brulee

As the grand finale of the meal, we not only have one but two beautifully plated desserts. The glittering torched top is adorned with lovely edible flowers and green tea sable; what a feast to the eyes!

Digging into this little "flower pot", every spoonful of the creamy custard is sweet (but don't worry, the sweetness is just right on point) with an added touch of bittersweet roasted green tea flavours. Again, it is a very light combination, to seal the evening with sweet notes.

"Ballerina"

Another eye candy that captivates my heart is the icy cold sweet treat served in a white 'shell', reminding me of a pearl surrounded by a sea of flowers. So pretty right?

After dinner, here comes the most important part of the evening: Cake cutting ceremony!

This place is just so perfect for birthday parties. With beautiful decors, table and backdrop set ups, etc,

you can always discuss your idea with the restaurant so they can serve you best.

Happy Birthday to all November babies!!

Nothing feels better than having such great companions on this very special evening :)

Since Cincin opens till late (around 2am), I don't mind spending a couple of hours chilling at the lounge with my glass of wine.

The wine corks are just so lovely, aren't they?

MEMBERSHIP SPECIAL

Do you know that you can be a member in CINCIN? Spend RM500 wine purchase in total of 3 bills, in a month.

You are entitled to your own crystal wineglass stored in Cincin for FREE, and a charm with name.